Sexual Harassment Should Not Be The New Normal

Over the past month, dozens of women have come out of the dark to voice their tragic stories of sexual abuse by their powerful male counterparts in the workplace.

The #MeToo campaign on Twitter that started at the end of October encouraged women from not only the United States, but all over the world to come forward and share their stories.

The victims come from all walks of life, from famous Hollywood actresses to everyday women.

One of the biggest sex abuse scandals that came to light recently involves Harvey Weinstein, an American film producer who sparked the campaign after multiple women accused him of sexual assault.

Stories of abuse closer to home have also been coming out. Breanna Stewart, a member of the University of Connecticut basketball team, shared her story on Twitter about being molested as a child.

Stewart is only one of the hundreds of American athletes who have undergone abuse.

U.S. Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney also came forward with allegations that their doctors had sexually abused them while they were in training.

What is heartbreaking is the fact that women, whether in the workforce or not, even have to deal with abuse from their male counterparts.

What is worse is that these incidents are often downplayed.

There is no doubt that Weinstein essentially ignored the 57 women who accused him of sexual misconduct, ultimately making matters worse not only for himself, but for the victims as well.

Weinstein is not the only man to downplay allegations made against him.

President Donald Trump has also written off the statements at least 12 women have made saying that he had molested them in past years.

A 2005 Access Hollywood video was leaked last year before the presidential election, where Trump talked about how he feels “entitled.”

Trump downplayed his remarks by saying it was “lockerroom talk,” and denied he had ever kissed or groped women without consent, according to CNN.

Trump denied the allegations, saying that the women were “liars.”

The claims of sexual harassment against Weinstein can be seen as similar to that of Bill Cosby: after one victim shares their experience, more victims seem to come out and share theirs with the public.

Cosby has been accused of drugging and sexually harassing dozens of women, many of which testified against him during his trial. The Cosby trial was declared a mistrial back in June, according to U.S. News. No new information has been provided since then.

People like Weinstein and Cosby have allegedly committed acts that are unforgivable. If people do not come forward and share personal experiences of sexual harassment, then these offenders will never realize what they are doing is wrong and no justice will be served.

Speaking out about personal sexual harassment experiences can be a long and difficult process; however, it can be rewarding.

If a person affected by sexual harassment does not speak up about it, there is no way in knowing if that person will ever harass others. Keeping quiet about traumatizing events can cause mental instability for some people, like post traumatic stress disorder.